Food browner



June 14, 1938. c L ELDRED 2,120,696

FOOD BROWNER Filed April 5, 1937 6/4 77/5)? Y/VL ELDKfD IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented June 14, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to browners for food, such as pies having a meringue covering. However, it will be understood that it is not to be regarded as limited in use to this particular 5 type of food, it being possible to use it for the toasting of bread. Many other uses, also, will readily be found by the housewife.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide a household implement of the type indicated which will be inexpensive to manufacture; to provide a household implement of the character indicated which can readily be used any place where there is a supply of electric current; to provide a structure of the character indicated which is light in weight and easily handled; to provide a structure of the character indicated such that the heating current will be automatically discontinued when the structure is laid down; and such further objects, advantages, and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the construction disclosed herein. My invention further resides in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing and, while I have shown therein what is now regarded as the preferred embodiment of this invention, I desire the same to be understood as illustrative only and not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

In the drawing annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

Fig. 1 represents a top plan view of a structure embodying my present invention;

Fig. 2 represents an underside view of the heating head of this implement;

35 Fig. 3 represents a central longitudinal section of the structure shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 represents an end view of this construction, taken from the right hand end, as shown in Fig. 1.

This construction comprises a head I, a grip 2, a hollow connecting member 3 joining the grip 2 with the head I, a flexible cord 4. and a plug 5. The ends 6 of the cord 4 are connected to the bolts 1 which serve as binding posts for attachment of the conductors 6 to the heating element 8. The heating element 8 comprises a coil of resistance wire fastened at its ends to the bolts 1 and at intermediate points to the bolts 9. The bolts 1 and 9 are mounted in strips of insulation l and l I, over which are preferably placed strips I! of mica.

The supporting member I3 of the head I is arcuate in cross-section and has a tubular member 3 secured thereto in any suitable manner. While this is shown as being a rivet connection, it is to be understood that the two parts may be fastened together in any other available way. The connecting member 3 is shown as provided with an opening I4 through which the flexible connecting member 4 projects. As shown at l5, parts of the edge portions of the heatreflecting member l3 are bent inwardly to serve as supports for the insulating strips l0 and II. Other parts l6 are either severed from the parts I and bent inwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, to serve as stops, to hold the parts [0 and II against longitudinal displacement, or these parts l6 are bent inwardly without being severed from the parts I5. I regard that either arrangement will be satisfactory but I prefer the arrangement shown.

A switch for closing the electric circuit is enclosed in the handle 2 and is provided with a button H by means of which it may be closed. This switch is spring-actuated and, therefore, will open, upon release of the pressure upon the button, to cause discontinuance of the current, automatically, thus avoiding the risk of a fire being started accidentally.

While the reflector I3 is illustrated as being a longitudinal segment of an approximately cylindrical hollow member, it will be understood that this could be formed as a segment of a sphere, either with or without parts cut away to form straight edges. However, I prefer the approximately cylindrical form illustrated. Various other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention as disclosed herein and as expressed in the following claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A structure for the purpose set forth comprising a hollow head having a handle projecting therefrom, insulating strips extending across the interior of the head and secured rigidly thereto, the securing means being formed by making incisions in the edge portions of the head and bending the tongues thus formed inwardly to engage the strips and hold them in place, an electric heating resistor extending between said insulating strips and having its ends connected to one of said insulating strips, and an electric current conductor connected to said resistor, adjacent the ends thereof, whereby said resistor may be connected to a source of electric current.

2. A browning device for food stuffs comprising a longitudinal segment of an approximately cylindrical hollow member serving as a heat reflector, electrical insulating supports mounted in the end portions of the said reflector and serving to support an electrical resistor within the reflector, edge portions of the reflector being partly severed from the body thereof and bent inwardly to support and hold in place the insulating supports, an electric heating resistor mounted on said insulating supports and extending back and forth lengthwise of said reflector, in zigzag form, and a conducting cord connected to the ends of said resistor to supply electric current thereto.

3. A household implement for the purpose indicated comprising a supporting and reflecting member approximately in the form of a longitudinal segment of a cylinder, said reflector having electrical insulating strips extending cross- Wise of the hollow end portions of said member, edge portions of said member being turned inwardly to overlap the end portions of the insulating strips to support said strips within the ho1- low of said reflecting member, other edge portions of the reflector being bent inwardly to abut against opposite edges of the insulating strips adjacent the inwardly bent supporting portions, and an electric heating resistor mounted on said insulating strips in a position to have the heat generated thereby reflected by the reflector toward the open side thereof.

CATHERYN L. ELDRED. 

